Coronavirus crisis: COVID chief Neville Power charged over alleged border breach

The man who was tasked by Prime Minister Scott Morrison to spearhead the country’s post COVID-19 economic task force, Neville Power, has been charged with breaching WA’s strict quarantine laws. Mr Power, who was the executive chairman of the National COVID-19 Co-ordination Commission and previously headed up Fortescue Metals Group, is accused of flying into the State by private helicopter without completing a G2G pass earlier this month. Police allege the 63-year-old, who is the current Perth Airport chairman and has been tapped to join the board of the global employment services provider, APM, travelled to Queensland with a 36-year-old man from Henley Brook in September. It has then been alleged the pair left Queensland on October 8 and flew by private helicopter to Exmouth. They then allegedly stopped to refuel in both Carnarvon and Geraldton before arriving at Jandakot airport on October 9. A week later Mr Power attended the Telethon Ball at Crown on Saturday, October 16 where he rubbed shoulders with Perth’s elite including WA Premier Mark McGowan and WA Police Commissioner Chris Dawson. He was then interviewed, along with the 36-year-old, by the Breach Investigation Team on October 20 and both men were subsequently charged with three counts of failing to comply with a direction. The company that owns the helicopter has also been charged with failing to comply with a direction. Both men were then directed to self-quarantine for 14 days and returned negative COVID-19 test results. The maximum penalty for breaching WA’s COVID-19 laws is 12 months jail or a $50,000 fine. The maximum penalty for a corporation is higher - a fine of up to $250,000. Mr Power, originally from Queensland, holds a number of high-profile positions in WA. He is the chair of the Foundation for the WA Museum, a director of Strike Energy — chaired by friend and former Crown Perth director John Poynton — as well as chair of the Federation board for the RFDS. The charges come after two Melbourne Football Club fans were jailed for three months after lying their way into WA to attend the AFL grand final. Melbourne bar owner Hayden Burbank, 49, and his financial planner friend Mark Babbage, 39, admitted breaching the State’s COVID laws. They also admitted forging a driver’s licence, bank statement and tenancy agreement to make it look like they lived in the Northern Territory when they applied for the G2G pass. in the week leading up to the Optus Stadium showdown. between the Demons and the Western Bulldogs. Mr Power and the 36-year-old man will appear in Perth Magistrates Court on November 15.